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Eutelsat Opens New Video Neighbourhood at 7 Degrees West With Entry Into Service of ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 4

Posted on: Monday, 3 July 2006, 12:00 CDT

PARIS, France, July 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) announces that its ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 4 satellite has gone into full commercial service at the 7 degrees West location. Operating since 1998 as HOT BIRD(TM) 4 from Eutelsat's HOT BIRD(TM) neighbourhood, the newly-branded ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 4 was freed to initiate its new mission at 7 degrees West with the transfer on 22 April 2006 of broadcast clients onto HOT BIRD(TM) 7A.

Designed for consumer broadcasting, the satellite's high-power footprint has been optimised in particular to serve the Middle East and North Africa, enabling Direct-to-Home (DTH) reception of digital services with domestic antennas from 7 degrees West.

ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 4's commercial entry into service triggers the contract for capacity announced in September 2005 with Nilesat, the Egyptian satellite operator. Nilesat's capacity on ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 4 equips it to boost development in dynamic broadcasting markets in the Middle East and North Africa in complement to the more than 300 television channels it already delivers through its Nilesat 101 and 102 satellites, which are also positioned at 7 degrees West. The first 18 channels have already begun broadcasting from ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 4.

Capacity leased on the satellite by Noorsat, the Bahrain-based provider of capacity and video services, is also shortly expected to be activated for television broadcasting.

Commenting on ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 4's entry into service, Eutelsat CEO, Giuliano Berretta said, "Eutelsat's opening of a new video neighbourhood for North Africa, the Middle East and the Gulf states at 7 degrees West underscores our objective to consolidate our longstanding presence in these regions. In the same way we embarked over ten years ago on building the HOT BIRD(TM) and EUROBIRD(TM) 1 neighbourhoods, we are now equipped to offer a new premium satellite resource that can support the continued expansion of our clients in dynamic digital broadcasting markets."

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A. The Group is a leading satellite operator with capacity commercialised on 23 satellites providing coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas. The Group is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues. Its satellites are used for broadcasting nearly 1,800 TV and 900 radio stations to more than 120 million cable and satellite homes. The Group also provides TV contribution services, corporate networks, mobile positioning and communications, Internet backbone connectivity and broadband access for terrestrial, maritime and inflight applications. Eutelsat Communications is headquartered in Paris, and the Group's workforce comprises over 480 from 27 countries.

http://www.eutelsat.com/ For further information Press Vanessa O'Connor Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88 voconnor@eutelsat.fr Frederique Gautier Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88 fgautier@eutelsat.fr Investors Gilles Janvier Tel: +33-1-53-98-35-35 investors@eutelsat-communications.com

Eutelsat Communications

CONTACT: Press, Vanessa O'Connor, Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88,voconnor@eutelsat.fr, Frederique Gautier, Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88,fgautier@eutelsat.fr, Investors, Gilles Janvier, Tel: +33-1-53-98-35-35,investors@eutelsat-communications.com

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

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